


New Girl

by Dynamic_Ideation



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU, Barry is a good dad and hubby, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Newborn Baby, Parenthood, being a new mom is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 19:44:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5304410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dynamic_Ideation/pseuds/Dynamic_Ideation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry and Iris Allen have been parents just over two weeks, and their bundle of joy already appears to have a preference.</p><p>"Mia only seems to get more frustrated. She curls her tiny fingers into tiny fists and waves them, her tiny mewling cries only getting angrier. Iris fights off her own frustration as she runs through other scenarios, trying to think of what could be making her more upset. ...She wants Barry. "</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Girl

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Babydex17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babydex17/gifts).



> I finished this about a year ago but didn't think it was good enough to post. My boo BabyDex17 encouraged me to post it and let you lovely readers decide whether or not it was good; so shout out to her! Thanks Babe! I revamped it, and here it is.

They're squeezing in an afternoon nap when Mia starts to cry in the other room. Their eyelids drift open thickly. “My turn,” Iris rubs Barry's shoulder, the signal to go back to sleep. He dozes off again just as fast as he woke up, facedown like a dead body.

Mia’s face is red and pinched, arms swinging like she’s ready for a fight.

“What is it, Sweetheart? Hungry?” Iris cradles her tiny head and picks her up. She tries to feed her, but Mia refuses. “Okay, not hungry. Wet?” She checks her diaper. Still fresh. “Not wet. Lonely? Mommy and Daddy left you too long? Mommy's sorry about that.” She walks in slow circles, whispering to her and rocking her. Mia only seems to get more frustrated. She curls her tiny fingers into tiny fists and waves them, her tiny mewling cries only getting angrier. Iris fights off her own frustration as she runs through other scenarios, trying to think of what could be making her more upset.

 _...She wants Barry_. Iris sighs deeply, suddenly feeling even more exhausted than she had before. She brings the baby back to bed with her.

“Barry...” He cracks one eye open.

“I got her,” He’s barely able to open his eyes, but he rolls onto his back and places Mia on his bare chest. In the meantime, Iris is wide awake and worked up.

“Shh-shh-shhh-shhh, what’s the matter with Daddy’s girl?” He pats her back gently, his long hand covering half of her tiny body. She keeps up some noise, a “how could you let that happen to me” sort of righteous indignation, and turns her face away as if she can’t even stand to look at Iris. After a moment she grows calm, blinking slowly as she listens to her father’s heartbeat.

 _She always calms right down for Barry_ , Iris thinks jealously. Then she grows irritated at her jealousy. However, it seems a pattern has developed; if she's not hungry, Mia seems to want nothing to do with her mother. It’s the epitome of humiliation, and heartbreak.

Iris lays her cheek on Barry's shoulder and smoothes her fingers over the baby's silky black hair. “I actually _make_ your food, you know,” she says softly, “With my body. _He_ didn't put in a fraction of the work I did to get you here. _He_ got to enjoy the fun parts, and I got the morning sickness and food cravings, and then swollen feet, and then eighteen hours of labor.”

Barry looks down at the baby. “She’s laughing.”

“Really?” Iris’ brows raise, then sink into a dour expression. “She’s laughing _at_ me, not with me.” She continues to stroke the top of Mia’s head. “So now that you're with Daddy you want to laugh. What am I gonna do with you, Lil Mama?” Iris touches her delicate ear, her perfectly smooth cheek. Mia, for her part, gets a hold to one of Barry's fingers and examines it to the best of her fifteen-day-old ability as Barry strokes her little knuckles with his thumb.

Iris becomes somber and quiet. “She doesn't like me.”

“What?” Barry lifts his head to look at her.

“She doesn't like me, Barry.”

“Hey, it's a daddy-daughter thing,” he tries a smile and sees how serious she is.“Of course she _likes_ you, Iris, of course she does." For a moment they're both quiet.

"Can I tell you what I think it is?”

Iris isn't sure she wants to hear what he has to say. She sighs deeply, yet again. “What do you think it is?”

“You're still anxious, nervous, when you're caring for her. I think she feels it and it scares her.”

Iris can’t figure out where it comes from, but suddenly she starts to weep, unable to control the tears. “I'm so horrible that our baby doesn't like me unless she's hungry! My husband has to tell me how to be a decent mother!”

“No, no, don't cry, Babe. Come here.” He lifts his arm and Iris smashes against him, her tears dampening his skin. He cradles her close, smoothing his hand up and down her arm. “That was stupid. I’m sorry.”

“But you're right,” Iris sniffles. “I keep feeling like...like I'm making all of these mistakes. Like I'm doing parenting...wrong.”

“That's not true at all. Look at it this way; this is our first time doing this. We're kinda making things up as we go. You just got done making a _person_ , Iris. You’re making all the sacrifices a great mom makes, emotionally and physically. It's a lot to adjust too, all the changes going on with your body.” His eyes widen. “I mean, not _bad_ changes of course, just...mom changes. You're still recovering from pregnancy and labor for the first time ever, and now you're breastfeeding…I mean, I think your boobs look hot,” he shrugs, “but they probably hurt. Plus, we have to be on the look out for Post-Partum. You think that might be part of it?”

She props herself up on an elbow to look at him, considering what he’s saying. He’s right. “You know what, I have been sore all over, and cramping, and all sorts of unexpected crap while my body tries to get back to normal.” She gestures towards her chest, ”these feel like water balloons and my nipples are raw and chafing. Add on to that the complete lack of sleep and the stress of hoping I’m doing everything right...maybe I am feeling some depression on top of it all…Being a mother is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, but that doesn't mean I’m not tired.”

“You are a human being, after all.”

“Talking about it with my husband is really helping, though, and I’m starting to feel...not so bad.” She rests her head on his shoulder again, breathing a sigh of relief. “You still say boobs like a fifth grader,” She teases.

“Yup, 'cause my wife has nice boobs.” Iris rolls her eyes, but can’t help giggling. “All jokes aside, they say it's a good thing if you're concerned with being a good parent because you'll do your best to be one. I think she's just afraid because you're afraid. She doesn't know why you’re upset, all she knows is _something's wrong and Mom's upset, so I am too_. That’s what I should have said, but you know who you married. They guy who’s always putting his foot in his mouth.”

“Right again."

“She loves you, Iris. She can't live without you. Neither can I, but we already knew that. Stop being so hard on yourself. And be happy, it means less diaper changes for you.”

Iris feels physically lighter. “God, I'm so lucky. I love you.”

“How long 'til can we start working on number two?” He waggles his eyebrows at her.

“You ruined the moment, you goof.” She strokes his face as she kisses his lips.

She carefully slides Mia off of Barry’s and onto her to her own chest. “Let's try this again, Beautiful.” Mia looks up at her, searching with her blurred newborn vision. “You're Mommy's special girl," Iris tells her. "Yes, you are. You're Mommy's baby.” Iris talks to her daughter and breathes deeply, again and again, until she’s relaxed. _Wow,_ she thinks, _It's better. It already_ _feels better_.

Just when Iris thinks she’s going to fuss, Mia coos, drooling and blowing bubbles as she chews on her fingers. When she finally yawns, Iris thinks her heart might explode from the miracle of it all. She sees herself in the brown almond-shaped eyes, and Barry in her pink pouty mouth. She sees both of them in her deep olive skin. “She’s perfect,” Iris whispers.

“Like you said, you did all the hard work,” With a smirk Barry rolls back onto his stomach and drops back into sleep like a cadaver. This time the baby does not become distressed; instead she falls asleep, pillowed on Iris' milk-heavy breasts. Iris feels sleep tugging at her own eyelids again, but fights against it. She savors the moment with her new little family, before deciding it’s better to give in to the nap.

In two more hours Mia will wake them up again anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Iris is me. Because I'm so terrified of babies, that when I become a mother I think it will be an adjustment for the both of us. Ha ha.


End file.
